ARLINGTON – One of the last single-lane bridge on a Washington state highway will be history on Tuesday, May 6. That’s when a new two-lane, 36-foot-wide bridge across Pilchuck Creek on State Route 9 opens north of Arlington. The new bridge, on a new alignment, reduces sharp curves at both ends.

Opening the new bridge requires Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews to link the existing highway to the new roadway. Drivers should anticipate delays of up to 30 minutes Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while workers complete new connections north and south of the bridge. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.

The new bridge replaces the original 17-foot-wide, 120-foot-long bridge built in 1916. With just one lane, the aging bridge is too narrow for modern traffic-safety standards. Additionally, drivers need to yield to oncoming traffic before crossing.

“Drivers won’t have to wait for traffic on the bridge anymore, and we’ve taken out some sharp curves,” said WSDOT project engineer Dave Crisman. “This makes the highway a more enticing option for people traveling between Arlington and north Snohomish County or Mount Vernon.”

After the switch to the new highway alignment and bridge is complete, SR 9 will have short sections of gravel roadway where the old and new alignments connect. The speed limit through these areas will be 30 mph until the sections are paved on Wednesday, May 7. Drivers should expect single-lane closures between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, to Friday, May 9.

The new span is about 800 feet southwest of the old one-lane structure. In addition to a 12-foot-wide lane in each direction, the new bridge features 4- to 6-foot-wide shoulders. The entire new section of roadway is a little more than a half-mile long.

The project is finishing a few weeks ahead of schedule and under its $10 million budget.

Once it is complete, WSDOT plans to turn over the old section of highway right-of-way to Snohomish County.